Gnibouwa Diassanaof Bla, Mali won a "2006 Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy" worth 2,500 pounds sterling. The funds will enable his project Sun for All to increase production of cookers and to reach out to more women's groups and other community organizations. Diassana has built a variety of solar cookers, plus a solar food dryer and solar water heater. Most of the solar cookers he has built are of the box type with three reflectors, based on a design by the Swiss organization ULOG. He has found homes for most of the cookers with organizations of artisans, nonprofits, women's groups and individual families. He reports that the cookers have been adapted for Mali and can be constructed with locally available materials and tools, even in remote areas. Mr. Diassana currently works for World Vision Mali.

Recent news and developments

October 2011:Gnibouwa Diassana reports that began teaching solar cooking in 1995, and have taught over 220 people since they began teaching.